Velocipede fork



April 23, 1935. w. G. Jo'HNsoN Erm.'

VELOC IPEDE FORK Filed Dec. 28, 1953 Bnventors w/L FRA-'D 6. JOH/Vso/v (ttornegS Patented Apr. 23, 1935 Wilfred Elyria, Ohio, assignors to Ohio, receiver for The Colson G. Johnson and Maurice E. Hendricks,

Hall Kirkham, Elyria, Company, Elyria,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application 8 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to velocipedes, bicycles,

and similar vehicles and more pa construction of the front fork velocipedes.

Heretofore the front rticularly to the s of childrenfs forks ofY such velocipedes have ordinarily been made of malleable castings which are quite heavy to our invention the fork and expensive.

and crown members According are made'of stampings, and it is among the objects of our invention to provide a fork construction formed of pressed metal parts and having great strength and rigidity. Another object of our invention is to providea pressed metal fork construction which can be readily and economically manufactured and assembled.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will become apparentr from the following description of a preferred form thereof, reference being made to the essential characteristics are claims.

Briefly, preferably comprises va hollow crown member which accompanying summarized in the drawing. The

a fork made according to our invention pressed metal is pressed onto the tubular stemtowhich the handle bars are attached, and

a pair of concave or channeled The forks are preferably welde tongues formed their upper ends fork members. d to depending integrally with the crown, and at the forks are provided with inturned portions which are preferably arc welded to the end of the stem. that the crown engages the The arrangement is such stem in a zone spaced apart from the engagement of the ends of the forks therewith so that a very rigidly braced construction is obtained.

Referring to the drawing, Figure l is aside elevation illustrating our fork construction, the

lower ends of the fork and the upper end of the stem portion being brokenV away;

Figure 2 is a front elevational View, partially in section, of the parts shown in of one of our fork members befor the crown and stem; and Figure Figurerl; Figure 3 is a perspective e assembly with 4 is a section of one o-f the fork'members as indicated by the line 4--4 of Figure 3.

As shown in the drawing, the handle bars are attached prises a piece of steel tubing. fork comprises a pending a deeply drawn portion as indicated at I3 to increase the rigidity of the depending tongues.

raised boss I4 is formed centrally of the crown member and is provided with an o pening I5 which December 28, 1933, Serial No. 704,247

is adapted to receive the stem I0, the stem making a pressed t within the opening.

The forks IB are concave pressed metal channel section members which taper gradually from the upper end I1 to the lower end I8. To improve the appearance of the forks, nel is preferably curved slightly,

provided with openings I9, or other suitable means, to receive the ends of the wheel axle, while the upper ends I'I of the forks are provided with inwardly turned portions 2l) which are Vsecured to the lower end of the stem I0. The side walls of the channel section of the forks are preferably thickened or widened slightly, as indicated the base of the chanas indicated in- Figure 4. The lower ends I8 of the forks may be at 2|, in the'region where the ends of the forks in orderto provide reinforcing thereby to increase the are bent inwardly, fillets in the forks and rigidity thereof.

As shown in Figure 2, secured to the tongues I by spot welding, as indicated 26 of the inwardly turned portions 20 of the forks are preferably arc welded to the end portion of the stem I0 as indicated at 2l. It is to be particularly noted that the ends 26 engage the stem Il) in a Zone spaced awayfrom the engagement of the crown member with the stem I0. tical load on the fork is, of course, largely taken the forks preferably are 2 of the crown member by the arc welded joints between the forks and the stem I0, while the lateral forces are absorbed both by the arc welded joints and by the engagement of the stem I0 with the crown member I5. By this construction, the integrally joined crown and fork members to the stem, thus producing an extremely rigid and strong fork. Furthermore, the tongues I2 reinforce the upper portions of the forks and further increase the rigidity of the entire construction.

In order to provide a convenient means for attaching and supporting a fender or mud guardto our fork, we preferably place a pin 28 through suitable oppositely disposed openings in the stem l0. The fender (not shown) may be supported by anyordinary means from the pin. The pin, of course, must be positioned before the crown is assembled on the stem and if desired the pin can be used as a convenient gauge or stop to properly position the crown with respect to the end of the stem, the ends of the pin abutting the lower surface of the boss I4 of the crown.

From the foregoing description of a preferred form of our invention, it will be seen that our fork is extremely rigid and can be manufactured The ver-v brace each other with respect at 25, and the ends very economically as it comprises merely a piece of tubing for the stem, a pressed metal crown member, and a pair of pressed metal forks. The fork construction can be assembled readily by pressing the crown member into position on the stem and thereafter spot welding the fork members to the depending tongues of the crown member and welding the inturned upper ends of the forks to the lower end of the stem. 'Ihe manufacturing and assembling operations can be carried out rapidly with minimum expenses and the completed fork is exceptionally strong and rigid.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made in the particular construction disclosed herein, all without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. Accordingly it is to be understood that our patent is not limited by the disclosure herein or in any manner other than by the appended claims when given the range of equivalents to which our patent may be entitled.

1. In a fork construction for velocipedes, bicycles andthe like, the combination of a tubular stem, a pressed metal crown member, having a raised. central boss surrounding and tightly engaging the stem, and having downwardly extending oppositely disposed tongues, and a pair of pressed metal fork members disposed within said crown member and permanently secured to said tongues, said fork members having inturned upper ends extending inwardly away from said tongues and below said central boss and being welded to said stem in a zone Vspaced apart from the zone of engagement of said crown member with said stem, whereby said forks and said crown memberare rigidly mounted on said stem and braced with respect thereto.-

2. In a fork construction for velocipeds, bicycles and the like, the combination of a tubular stem, a pressed metal crown member mounted on and tightly engaging the stem, said crown member having downwardly extending oppositely disposed tongues, and a pair of pressed metal fork members disposed within said crown member and permanently secured to said tongues, said fork members having inturned upper ends extending inwardly away from said tongues and being welded to said stem in a zone spaced apart from the zone of engagement of said crown member with said stem, whereby said forks and said crown member are rigidly mounted on said stem and braced with respect thereto.

3. In a fork construction for velocipedes, bicycles, and the like, the combination of a tubular stem, a hollow pressed metal crown member mounted on and tightly engaging the stem in a zone spaced above the lower end thereof, and `a pair ofpressed metal fork members disposed within said crown member and permanently joined thereto, said fork members having inturned` upper ends spaced apart from adjacent portion of said crown member, said ends being welded to the lower end of said stem and thereby engaging said stem in a zone remote from the zone of engagement of said crown member with said stem.

4. In a velocipede fork construction, a tubular stem, a pressed metal crown member having a raised central boss provided with an opening through which said stem projects, said crown member also having downwardly extending oppositely disposed tongues, and fork members spot-welded to said tongues, said fork members comprising channel section stampings having inturned upper ends, said inturned ends being welded to said stem in a zone spaced apart from the zone of engagement of said crown member with said stem.

5. In a velocipede fork construction, a tubular stem, a pressed metal crown member having an opening through which said stem projects, and having downwardly extending oppositelyV disposed tongues, and fork members spot-welded to said tongues, said fork members comprising channel section stampings having inturned upper ends, the said inturned ends being welded to said stem in a zone spaced apart from the zone of engagement of said crown member with said stem.

6. In a fork construction for velocipedes, bicycles and the like, the combination of a tubular stem, a hollow pressedmetal crown member mounted on and tightly engaging the stem in a zone spaced from the lower end thereof, and a pair of pressed metal fork members permanently joined to said crown member, said fork members having inturned upper ends, said ends being welded to the lower endV of said stem and thereby engaging said stem ina zone remote from the zone -of engagement of said crown member with said stem.

7. In a fork construction for velocipedes,v bicycles and the like, the combination of a tubular stem, a vhollow pressed metal crown member mounted on and tightly engaging the stem, and a pair of pressed metal fork members secured t0 said crown member, the upper ends of said fork members being welded to said stem in a zone spaced apart from the zone of engagement of said crown member with said stem.

8. In a fork construction for velocipedes, bi- I cycles and the like, the combination of a tubular stem, a hollow pressed metal crown member mounted on and tightly engaging the stem and having oppositely disposed depending tongues, and a pair of pressed metal fork members permanently secured tosaid tongues, the upper ends of said fork members being welded to said stem in a zone spaced apart from the zone of engagement of said crown member with said stem.

WILFRED G. JOHNSON. MAURICE E. HENDRIcKs. 

